SUSSEX Chief Constable Paul Whitehouse resigned today in the face of public fury over the shooting of Liverpool man James Ashley.

The resignation was welcomed by the family of Mr Ashley, shot dead during a bungled raid at his flat in St Leonards, near Hastings, three years ago.

It followed calls by Home Secretary David Blunkett yesterday that he should be sacked for his handling of the incident.

Mr Whitehouse sparked fury last week when he promoted two of the officers involved in the shooting, with their pay backdated for three years.

An inquiry by the Police Complaints Commission into the killing severely criticised the operation. A police marksman was cleared of manslaughter earlier this year and the prosecution of four other officers involved in planning the raid collapsed when the prosecution offered no evidence.

Mr Whitehouse, 56, said today: "I have this morning sent a message out to all my staff saying I am retiring, as I have been entitled to do for several years.

"On the morning of the shooting I said I believed honestly that my officers had behaved properly.

"It is disgraceful that the Ashley family, for whom I have the greatest sympathy, has not had a proper answer to what happened in this case."

Sussex Police Authority said Mr Whitehouse will leave his post on September 25.

Ashley's mother Eileen said: "This is very welcome news. It is something we've been waiting for a long time and it has really made our day.

"Obviously nothing can bring James back and we still miss him terribly. But somebody has to pay for the dreadful mistakes on that day and Whitehouse was the boss. He had to take responsibility sooner or later."

The family is due to meet Mr Blunkett next Monday.

The resignation was also welcomed by Riverside MP Louise Ellman, who had earlier called on Mr Blunkett to investigate the promotions.

She said: "I am very pleased that Whitehouse has decided to resign. It was totally unacceptable for an unarmed man to be killed in this way and no-one took responsibility. David Blunkett?s decisive intervention has been crucial."